Firefighters Brave Fury To Save Historic Site From Going Up In Flames
(LibertySociety.com) – On July 10, as the wildfire in Yosemite National Park in California waged on, brave firefighters ramped up their efforts to beat back the flames and save the sequoia trees native to the area. Shockingly, the fire doubled in just one day, threatening to burn down Mariposa Grove and sending campers and residents alike away from the region.
Crews are working night and day to create barriers in the form of ditches to contain the blaze threatening the park, but Yosemite Fire Information Spokesperson Nancy Phillipe said the 10th was the “smokiest” day yet.
The fire is spreading near the giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove. Fire crews are using bulldozers to create a barrier. "We’re using everything we can, from sunup to sundown." https://t.co/wQVseChANK #WashburnFire @phila_lex @DianaMarcum
— Ian James (@ByIanJames) July 11, 2022
Luckily, there has been no reported damage to the mature trees on the slope and base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, including the Grizzly Giant, which is about 3,000 years old.
Phillip said firefighters are using sprinklers to keep the trunks wet in hopes it will help them continue working to keep the giant trees safe. The Wawona community was also in danger over the weekend, as officials ordered hundreds of people to evacuate.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the area has become more vulnerable to nature’s destruction over recent years due to massive undergrowth, drought, and climate change. In the past, lightning has been to blame for some wildfires in California, so that explanation is also a possibility.
Meanwhile, the departments keep battling the flames, hoping to keep the damage to a minimum.
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